THE FORCES OF DEFENCE
No modern institution has been more talked about and written about than
that of the police. The police problem is, in all cities, one to which
continual thought is given by citizens as well as officials. The debt we
owe to the police can more easily be understood by thinking for a moment
of what city life would be without that body. In Greater New York, with a
population of five millions, there are about ten thousand policemen, or
one to every five hundred inhabitants. In London the proportion is one
policeman for every four hundred and ninety-six dwellers in the world’s
metropolis. In Buenos Aires there are twice as many in proportion to
the population as in New York. If these guardians of the peace were to
be suddenly withdrawn, no man’s property or person would be safe at any
time of the day or night in these great congested centres. Men would
be obliged to go armed; business places and dwellings would have to
be barricaded by night; no one could leave his home with a feeling of
security as to what might happen during his absence. It was so during the
middle ages when the people locked and bolted their massive doors and
remained at home, or went about at night in companies in order to insure
safety.
In ancient times many of the duties of the modern police were performed
by the soldiers. In the early days of Persia and ancient Greece guards
were stationed at the gates, and at night military watchmen were placed
on the walls. Rulers and persons of affluence had in addition their own
personal body-guards. It was not until the days of Augustus Cæsar that
the idea of a body of men trained and disciplined to maintain order for
the benefit of the citizens at large was developed. The Romans were
averse to the presence of soldiers within the walls, for fear that they
might become a menace to public liberty. As a result of this prejudice
a body of civil police grew up, a part of whose equipment were buckets
of rope made waterproof with tar, for they were the firemen as well.
Because of this outfit the people in derision called them “squirts,” or
“bucket-boys.” The Anglo-Saxon system of police was not perfected until
in the time of the eminent Sir Robert Peel less than a century ago. After
several years of strenuous work in Parliament he succeeded in passing
a law organizing the Metropolitan Police of London. Although this body
of men gave security and protection to the citizens of that city it was
considered an inroad upon personal liberty and the members of the force
were termed in derision “bobbies” and “peelers,” names which have clung
to them ever since.
It has often been a query in my mind whether we fully appreciate the work
of the policeman. The soldier’s praise has been sung in every land and in
every tongue, but the man who walks the city’s streets has not succeeded
in inspiring the muse to any extent. The police are a mighty army in
themselves. If one could shout the one word “Police!” so that it might
be heard the world over, it would call together an army of more than a
million men. Among these would be the stalwart “bobbie” of London, giant
Chinese policemen from Hong Kong, barefooted Zulus clothed in English
helmets and suits, tens of thousands of American “cops,” and last, but
not least, the little brown policeman of Argentina. Buenos Aires alone
could furnish five full regiments of a thousand men each.
[Illustration: A POLICEMAN OF ARGENTINA]
These dark-skinned, undersized men are always on duty. At regular
intervals a sergeant comes along and signs the officer’s book, which is
his record of service. The summer uniform is white, helmet and all. At
night you will see one of these officers at every street intersection.
As far as you can see down the narrow thoroughfares one of these white
sentries may be seen on duty at every corner. Should a disturbance occur
he will blow his whistle and this will be answered for many blocks. Soon
policemen will be seen running from the four directions, and in a few
minutes quite a force can be collected. A call to the central station
would bring an additional force. In this way an incipient disturbance
could soon be checked. As these men are under the pay of the national
government, they form a part of the defensive forces of the country and
are a really creditable body. The mounted men are well mounted and have a
very smart appearance as they canter through the streets.
Since the probability of war with Chile passed away the army of Argentina
has not been kept as full as prior to 1904. The proportion of soldiers
to the population is perhaps less than in any other republic of South
America, except Brazil. There are thirty infantry battalions, nine
cavalry regiments, eight regiments of the various branches of artillery,
besides the numerous special features. The cavalry in particular will
compare most favourably with those of any other nation. They are
recruited principally from the gauchos, the cowboys of Argentina, who are
born to the saddle and sit upon the horses with a grace and naturalness
that only comes with familiarity to such form of locomotion from the very
cradle itself almost. The infantry are well equipped with modern arms
and accoutrements, but they will not bear comparison with the troops
of Uncle Sam, Germany or France. They are fighters, however, when once
aroused and interested in the cause for which they are fighting. There
is in addition to the permanent army a reserve army of about one hundred
and fifty thousand. By the provisions of the law every Argentine citizen,
from his twentieth to his forty-fifth year, a period of twenty-five
years, is subject to compulsory military service. Actual service,
however, except in the navy, rarely extends beyond one year. Naturalized
citizens are exempt from military duty for a period of ten years after
their naturalization. The fact that every one born on Argentine soil is
considered an Argentine citizen has led to some unpleasant experiences
among the foreign population, whose children have been born in that
country. Many women have gone back to the home land so that their
children would not become Argentine subjects.
General Leonard Wood, of the United States army, makes the following
comment upon the Argentine army following a recent official visit to that
country.
“Instruction in this army is vigorous and thorough during the entire
period of service. They have a good general staff organization, and a
superior school of war for training staff officers and special training
of line officers, under the care of specially selected line officers.
In Argentina there are excellent relations between the officers and the
men. There are few court-martials and insubordination is rare. Their
infantry is of a sturdy type, good marchers, well uniformed and equipped.
The cavalry is well mounted and they are good horsemen. The bulk of the
cavalry is armed with sabre and carbine, and there is also one regiment
of lancers and one heavy regiment of cuirassiers. They are all very
smartly turned out and make fine troops. Compulsory service, it has been
found in Argentina, as elsewhere, is useful not only in making good
soldiers, but also good citizens are so made. Men from remote districts,
after a year’s service with the colours, have a greater respect for
the flag, for the authorities, and the national government. These men
have also benefited physically and acquired habits of promptness and
exactness. They return to their communities in every way improved by the
service. All who enter unable to read and write are taught during their
service. After the year’s service with the colours men are called out
at intervals, gradually decreasing in frequency, for short periods of
service with the colours during manœuvres, usually about six or eight
days a year. Careful track is kept of the reserves, who are almost
immediately available in case their services are needed. Sufficient
equipment for them is held in reserve.”
In travelling over Argentina one sees very few soldiers. A man in a navy
uniform will be encountered much more frequently. The standing army only
numbers twenty thousand men, while the active naval force is not less
than twenty-five thousand, most of whom are young men of twenty and
twenty-one years of age. This force is kept recruited by conscription.
All citizens are registered at birth and a number placed opposite the
names on the register. Numbers are drawn each year of the young men who
have reached the age of eighteen. The higher numbers pass into the navy
for two years, and the lower numbers enter into the army for one year.
Then after their discharge from active service these men pass into the
reserves, where they are kept enrolled until they are thirty years of
age. This keeps a large reserve force ready for duty in both army and
navy. The Escuela Naval Militar, a naval college, is maintained where
young men are trained to take positions as officers in the navy, similar
to our own naval school at Annapolis. In nearly all the public schools
the boys are given a military training under the direction of retired
naval and military officers, and are allowed the gratuitous use of
firearms and ammunition. Nearly every city and town has a shooting range
where target practice is carried on under the direction of officials. The
tactics are German, but the uniforms in both army and navy are of French
design.
The Argentinians are very proud of their navy. There is a great jealousy
between that republic and Brazil, and a consequent rivalry in building up
a navy. A few years ago Brazil ordered three Dreadnaughts from English
builders, the first two of which have just been received, and the other
one will be delivered very soon. These boats were supposed to be the most
powerful representatives of this style of war vessels ever constructed,
but the Argentine naval experts believe that their new marine monsters
will be still more effective. They considered the proposition for a
long time, and maintained a committee in Europe for a year in order to
peruse plans and keep in touch with the very latest developments in naval
construction. The plans finally adopted were the result of this careful
and painstaking study. The boats will be seventy feet longer than the
Brazilian Dreadnaughts, twenty-five hundred tons greater displacement and
will have a guaranteed speed of one additional knot.
A twenty-two million order for battleships was not a bad thing for
American ship builders. And yet that was the contract given them by the
Argentine Republic, after a fierce competition in which twenty-five firms
from five of the leading nations of the world were engaged. The Eagle may
well scream a little, for it is the first time that the United States has
been considered a serious competitor in the building of battleships. The
European nations used every influence, including that of their diplomatic
representatives and a “knocking” of American manufacturers, to secure
the order, but all to no avail. The American builders were the lowest
bidders; they promised the boats in a shorter time; and the visit of the
fleet a few years ago showed the Argentinos that we could build first
class battleships. The writer was in Buenos Aires when the contract was
let, and it awakened the people of that section of the world to the fact
that the United States has become an active competitor in all lines of
business.
These “Dreadnaughts,” which will be known as the “Rivadavia” and
“Moreno,” will be 604 feet long, with a displacement of 20,500 tons, and
a speed of 22½ knots will be generated by engines of 40,000 horsepower,
and the normal draught will be 27 feet. The height of the turret above
the water will be 26½ feet and at the poop it will be 17 feet. The
armour will extend for 250 feet in the centre, 4¾ feet above and 3⅓ feet
below the normal water line with a uniform thickness of one foot. The
total weight of the armour will be 7,000 tons. The outward appearance
of these two leviathans will be very similar to the “Arkansas” and
“Wyoming,” of our own navy. The armour both above and below the water
line will be heavier than has heretofore been in use, while the bottom
will be well protected against submarines by nickel steel. The armament
will consist of twelve thirteen-inch guns in six turrets, twelve six-inch
guns in the central casement and an equal number of four-inch guns well
located. The coal bunkers will have a capacity of four thousand tons,
besides several hundred tons of petroleum. Both of these leviathans of
the deep will be delivered early in the year 1912.
[Illustration: THE ARMOURED CRUISER, “PUEYRREDON”]
The navy of Argentina aggregates over thirty vessels, and some of them
are very good boats. Among these are four armoured cruisers, all of
which are 328 feet in length. Two of these, the “General San Martin” and
“Pueyrredon,” are twin ships of 6,773 tons displacement; the “Garibaldi”
and “General Belgrano” have a displacement of 6,732 and 7,069 tons
respectively. The oldest one, the “Garibaldi,” was launched in 1896,
and the newest one, the “Pueyrredon,” in 1901, all of them being built
in Italian yards. They develop 13,000 horsepower with a speed of twenty
knots, and have a daily coal consumption of one thousand tons. All
carry a crew of five hundred men, except the “Garibaldi,” which carries
only three hundred and fifty men. The cost of these vessels averaged
about $3,500,000 each. The “Almirante Brown,” named after the famous
English-Argentine admiral, an older boat, is what is generally known as
a central battery ship, and is a considerably smaller and less effective
boat. There are also four cruisers. Three of these, the “Buenos Aires,”
“Nueve de Julio” (Ninth of July), and the “25th of May,” have a speed
exceeding twenty-two knots; the “Patagonia” is a smaller vessel with
a speed of only thirteen knots. The coast defence vessels number two,
the “Independencia” and “Libertad.” The “Espera” (hope), “Patria”
(fatherland) and “Rosario” are torpedo boats with a speed of twenty
knots. The “Sarmiento” is a training ship which has twice visited the
United States in recent years. Fifteen new torpedo boat destroyers
have also been ordered which, with the new battleships, will place the
Argentine navy in a very effective condition.
The entire fleet is mobilized for four months each year. An annual
review, which is held about the first of June, is made the occasion of
great display. The President boards one of the vessels, which is then
made the flagship, and the other vessels pass in review before it and
manœuvres take place. Target practice is held and mimic engagements are
“fought.”
What to do with these big monsters now building is a problem which is
seriously engaging the minds of the naval department. At the present
time there is only one port in the republic which they can enter, and
that is the Puerto Militar, at Bahia Blanca. They will not be able to
reach Buenos Aires, because the waters of the La Plata are too shallow.
The same is true of the other naval bases. It looks as though they will
be obliged to stay near Bahia Blanca, or else anchor out on the broad
Atlantic the most of the time.
In the writer’s opinion Argentina has little use for a big navy. It
cannot be placed on a par with European navies, and it is a big burden
of expense. She has only one city on that coast, Bahia Blanca, and has
not many vessels engaged in commerce, except on the La Plata and its
affluents. Buenos Aires is protected from the Dreadnaughts of other
nations because of its shallow harbour. One great item of cost is coal,
of which great quantities are consumed, and all of which is imported
either from Europe or Australia, the cost per ton being very high.
The new Dreadnaughts will have a coal-consuming capacity of sixteen
thousand tons per day. The annual expense at the present time of the
navy is $7,500,000, and the new ships will increase this by at least
$4,000,000. This will make a per capita cost of nearly two dollars for
each man, woman and child in the republic. It simply resolves itself into
a jealousy of and rivalry with Brazil. If the United States builders
will construct Dreadnaughts that will have better armour, greater speed,
and more powerful guns than the new Brazilian boats, then American
manufacturers can get anything they want in Argentina.